Girl of Kosovo

By: Alice Mead

Narrated by: Julie Dretzin

Eleven-year-old Zana loves life in her small village in Kosovo. She also loves her best friend, Lena, even though her uncle doesn’t want the two of them playing together, since Lena is a Serb and Zana and her family are Albanians. Soon, soldiers are pulling Albanians off of buses and looting and bombing Albanian homes. Amidst a rising tide of violence, Zana must find a way to break the cycle of hate. Closely based on Alice Mead’s own experiences, Girl of Kosovo is a stark look at the evil people can do - and at the enduring power of love. Narrator Julie Dretzin voices all the determination of a girl who listeners will never forget.

©2001 Alice Mead (P)2002 Recorded Books

Really cute!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. I learned a lot about the Kosovo war from the point of view of a kosovar girl which was exactly what I wanted. The story was catching and moving and hit on points you would never see in the news.

What other book might you compare Girl of Kosovo to and why?

Anne Frank.

What does Julie Dretzin bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The narrator captured the story very well and kept my interest. I listen while I do data entry at work and I didn't doze off into la la land once.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It was very enlightening. I didn't know much about the war or the country of Kosovo and I feel I have a better understanding. Some parts were very sad but it had a positive outcome.

Any additional comments?

My boyfriend is part Kosovar and was the same age as the little girl during the war. This book really made a difference in understanding him better and I am grateful that I could learn more about something that is hard for him to talk about. I checked a lot of the story with him and it seems to be a good account of how it really was over there. I recommend to anyone who has a thirst to learn about other cultures. It's a great historical fiction in general.